The Truth
Round 1
Struggled at the beginning of 2025 due to OL issues. Dan Campbell will not allow that to ever happen again.
Kevin O'Connell is on the hot seat. I think he's a great coach. He's known for QB development and potent offense. He'll be looking to get back to that. There might be more physically gifted receivers in this draft than KC Concepcion, but there's something to be said for dependable players that have a knack for making plays.
Bryce Young is beginning to earn more people's respect. It's only right that he receive more protection.
Treydan Stukes replaces who would have been Jemod McCoy if not for the injury concerns. I like Stukes because he's faster and plays the ball in the air better than some of the other corners in this class. He tends to arm tackle, but in terms of ball skills, Stukes seem to have the edge. Moreover, he can play all DB positions.
Pittsburgh admitted that Ioane would be a "perfect" fit for an open vacancy they have at guard. That said, they ranked near the bottom of the league in pass yards allowed. Draft CB in second round because there should still be a few impact corners available. If they pass on Thieneman here, they're also taking some risk at an impact coverage safety being available at this slot in the second round. Ramsey can still play at a high level, but you have to at least be mindful of his veteran status. Until then, Ramsey and Thieneman playing high together would be pretty thrilling. Having said all that, I wouldn't be surprised if McNeil-Warren ends up being the best safety in this draft. He's just not as popular as Downs and Thieneman right now.
An improved offense starts with the offensive line.
Since the Colts don't have a pick in the first round, they're Indiana product might end up in a different Great Lakes state. If this draft goes like I think it might, we could actually be looking at Cleveland as contenders. A Todd Monken reunion with Carson Beck in later rounds would provide insurance for Watson and Sanders.
Statistically, pass defense wasn't as bad as run defense. Buffalo doesn't have a second round pick. Not sure if they'll be able to improve the defense enough to win a super bowl, but drafting Christian Miller helps.
Denzel Boston is a play-maker with great ability to attack the ball in the air. He and Mike Evans will make the 49ers more explosive this season. Can't wait!
Emmanuel Pregnon is not as athletic as Chase Bisontis but I think Pregnon is a better fit for the Texans. His mass will help in the run game. He probably won't get pushed back very often. And although, he's not the fleetest of foot on pulls, it's ok because newly acquired RB, David Montgomery is a patient 4.6. For zone schemes, Pregnon's lateral quickness is good enough to be effective. I expect the Texans to draft speed at the skill positions in the second round.
Position upgrade. Polished, smart, instinctive, and quality playing experience. The film I've seen shows him mostly playing down. How would he be in a 2-high scheme? And we haven't seen him run a 40. Not trying to trigger any alarm bells because I still think he's a position upgrade for the Dolphins and will be an important part of the team's rebuild.
Position assistance. New England needs to improve at tackle, where we saw them struggle in the Superbowl. However, they're drafting in a slot where they won't be able to get exactly what they want. Nonetheless, New England said they really liked Rutledge at the senior bowl. They might draft another OT in later rounds, where there might find players with size and upside that might be overlooked by other teams.
